Ten days have been added to the UAE school calendar for 2014-15, in what the Ministry of Education said would bring the country into line with international standards.
The major change is a reduction in the December-January break, when many expatriate families return home for Christmas. It has been cut from three to two weeks.
The next academic year will be from August 31, 2014 to June 25, 2015.
The first term will include 74 teaching days, with 60 in the second term and 55 in the third term, to total 189 days.
Teachers and staff will be required to work between August 24, 2014 and July 9, 2015, although private schools with a foreign curriculum can adjust their calendars by up to one week.
Holidays will be between December 21-January 1 and March 29-April 9.
UAE Ministry of Education under-secretary Marwan Al Sawaleh said the decision to increase the number of teaching days would bring the country into line with international standards. He did not clarify where the additional five days had been added to the calendar.
“Between 185 and 190 is the average number of studying days [internationally],” Al Sawaleh said.
The change also will endure the education calendar does not conflict with Ramadan, which is next year is expected to begin in July.
The changes apply to all public and private primary and secondary schools (except those with Indian and Pakistani curriculums), adult education centres and Applied Technology High Schools.
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